Master Fencer breezes at Keeneland in preparation for G1 Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets

by NYRA Press Office

• Hollendorfer to have strong presence in New York this summer
• Pletcher targeting 'Test of the Champion' with Spinoff
• Baffert looking to finalize Belmont Stakes Racing Festival contingent
• Plus Que Parfait to pass on G1 Belmont
• Cross Country Pick 5 pays $17K

Letting Master Fencer go about his business at his pace has been a key intangible in getting the best end result out of the chestnut colt.

So, on a picture perfect Wednesday morning at Keeneland, the connections behind the son of Just a Way gave him ample time to settle into his routine before posting a half-furlong workout in :52 seconds flat in preparation for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets, slated for Saturday, June 8.

After emerging from his barn shortly after 6:30 a.m., Master Fencer first headed to the Keeneland training track where he jogged and cantered a couple of laps before making his way to the main track. With exercise rider Yosuke Kono in the irons, the sixth-place finisher in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby put in another easy canter once around before finally breaking off for his move.

"He's a pretty slow starter so we meant him to warm up and get ready to go to the main track," Kono said via translator. "Even at the main track, we actually wanted to see how he can move his body to take action. So the first gallop, we did a stop and go because I wanted to see how he can respond to the break. So he did that twice and he responded well. For the breezing, he did the Japanese way where we start slowly and then maybe the last two furlongs have a strong finish."

Master Fencer has been at Keeneland since rallying from last in the 19-horse field Kentucky Derby to cross the wire seventh before being elevated one spot via the disqualification of Maximum Security. That admirable surge far outdistanced his 58-1 odds and cemented his extended stay in North America for the purpose of chasing the final leg of the Triple Crown.

"To be honest, the plan [to go to the Belmont Stakes] was there but it was all up to the result of the Kentucky Derby," Kono said. "Fortunately he ran well, he finished seventh and eventually became sixth. Because of that result, immediately after the race the owner decided to go to the Belmont.

"Where he was in the first turn and coming into the stretch we were kind of thinking 'Oh my God'. But eventually he used such an amazing late kick. We are really hopeful for the next race."

Owned and bred by Katsumi Yoshizawa and trained by 48-year-old former jockey Koichi Tsunoda, Master Fencer earned his spot in the starting gate for the first Saturday in May by accumulating 19 points on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. His 2019 campaign included a fast-closing second in the $310,830 Fukuryu at Nakayama Racecourse on March 31 and a fourth-place effort in the $330,506 Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse on Feb. 17.

Master Fencer is slated to ship to Belmont Park on Friday, May 24 where he will have his final bit of fine tuning in advance of the 12-furlong classic.

"He's been doing better all the time," Kono said. "He eats well and he works well so we're satisfied for now."

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Hollendorfer to have strong presence in New York this summer

Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer will stable up to 20 horses in New York this spring/summer under the care of assistant trainer Don Chatlos.

The first three Hollendorfer trainees - the OXO Equine-owned Brill, Rowayton and Oggonis - arrived at Belmont Park on Saturday and the veteran conditioner said he hopes to fill 20 stalls.

"We're aiming for that kind of number. Most of the horses that we'll be bringing are already on the east coast," said Hollendorfer. "We've been asked by a client or two to consider having horses in New York this summer, so we're trying to accommodate those client's wishes."

The multiple graded stakes placed Brill finished fourth last out in the Grade 1 Black-Eyed Susan. Hollendorfer said the Grade 1, $700,000 Acorn, set for Belmont Stakes Day, June 8, is under consideration for the Medaglia d'Oro bay.

"It's possible, but nothing that we've discussed has been decided yet," said Hollendorfer.

Rowayton, a 3-year-old son of Into Mischief, graduated at first asking at Del Mar ahead of a good second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity won by Game Winner. He arrives at Belmont from a fifth-place finish in an optional claiming tilt at Oaklawn.

Oggonis, by Animal Kingdom, commanded $750,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. The 3-year-old colt graduated at first asking on March 29 at Santa Anita, but finished off-the-board in his return effort on May 4.

Rowayton and Oggonis breezed on the Belmont main on Wednesday morning, covering five furlongs in 59.87 seconds.

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Pletcher targeting 'Test of the Champion' with Spinoff

Trainer Todd Pletcher added Spinoff to the list of probable entrants for the Grade 1 $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets after an 18th place effort in the Kentucky Derby.

A Wertheimer and Frere homebred, the 3-year-old son of Hard Spun didn't take to the sloppy track conditions in the Derby, according to Pletcher who said that the horse has been training forwardly since then.

Spinoff recorded his first breeze since the Derby on Sunday morning with a half-mile work in 48.72 seconds.

"He worked well and seems to be training forwardly," Pletcher said. "He didn't seem to care for the surface on Derby day. He put himself in a decent tracking position, but when it was time for him to turn his head he just kind of spun the wheels a bit."

Prior to the Derby, Spinoff was a game second to By My Standards in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds. He was an impressive 11 ¾ length winner of his 2019 debut, which took place on February 22 at Tampa Bay Downs.

Also targeting the Belmont from the Pletcher barn is Grade 3 Peter Pan third-place finisher Intrepid Heart, who was slow coming out of the gate in the local prep for the Test of the Champion and finished six lengths behind winner Global Campaign as the heavy favorite in his stakes debut.

A winner of his first two career outings, Intrepid Heart is by Tapit - who has produced three of the last five Belmont Stakes winners in Tonalist (2014), Creator (2016) and Tapwrit (2017) - and also is a half-brother to Commissioner who was a close second behind Tonalist, both are out of the graded stakes placed Touch Gold broodmare Flaming Heart.

"He stumbled coming out of the gate but he's still lightly raced," Pletcher said. "I thought he galloped out well. He's bred top and bottom for the distance and I'm optimistic that his pedigree will allow him to get the distance."

Pletcher stated that both Spinoff and Intrepid Heart, along with Grade 2 Godolphin Mile winner Coal Front will all work Saturday morning. Owned by Robert LaPenta and Head of Plains Partners, Coal Front is pointing to the Grade 1 $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan Handicap.

Pletcher also spoke of Bellavais who is targeting the Grade 1, $700,000 Longines Just a Game after a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland. The chestnut daughter of Tapit is out of stakes-winning broodmare La Cloche who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winning millionaire Winter Memories. Both are out of Memories of Silver who also is a Grade 1-winning millionaire.

Owned by Bortolazzo Stable, Bellavais became a graded stakes winner in her 2019 debut which took place in the Grade 3 Marshua's River over the turf at Gulfstream Park.

Previously trained by Jimmy Toner, Bellavais was acquired by her current owners for $485,000 at the Keeneland January Sale in 2018. She made her debut for Pletcher and Bortolazzo Stable a winning one in an allowance event over the Widener turf course at Belmont Park last October.

"I thought her first race for us was a good one," Pletcher said. "Ideally, she would appreciate a firm ground. It's a tall ask and it should be a deep, tough race but when she's on her 'A' game she's up for the task."

Pletcher also noted that Flat Out Invitational winner Marconi would target the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodford Reserve Brooklyn Invitational on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

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Baffert looking to finalize Belmont Stakes Racing Festival contingent

Speaking from his home base in Southern California, Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert said he was close to finalizing his stakes contingent for this year's Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on June 6-8.

Reigning Eclipse-Award 2-year-old Champion and multiple graded stakes winner Game Winner,who finished fifth last out in the Kentucky Derby is still under consideration for the Grade 1, $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets according to Baffert.

"He's continuing to do well coming out of the Derby," said Baffert. "We've given him a little bit of a break, but we should make a decision on if we'll definitely run in the Belmont or not by the end of this week."

Remaining on target for the Grade 1, $1.2 million Runhappy Metropolitan is multiple graded stakes winner McKinzie. The 4-year-old son of Street Sense owned by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram, and Paul Weitman, has made three starts this year beginning his 2019 campaign with a pair of second-place finishes at Santa Anita Park in the Grade 2 San Pasqual and Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap before winning the Grade 2 Alysheba on May 3 at Churchill Downs by an impressive 4 ¾ lengths with a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure.

"He's continuing to do well," said Baffert. He's back here in California now, so we'll continue to get him ready out here and look to see who will join him when he heads back east."

Two additional stablemates that may also make the journey back east with McKinzie according to Baffert is recent Grade 3 Lazaro Barrera winner Mucho Gusto and multiple graded stakes winner Marley's Freedom.

A 3-year-old Mucho Macho Man colt owned by Michael Petersen, Mucho Gusto has four wins from six career starts. Following a victory in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis on February 2, he ran third in the Grade 3 Sunland Park Derby before winning the Lazaro Barrera at seven furlongs by 3 ¼ lengths.

"I thought that was a nice win from him [Mucho Gusto]," said Baffert. "We'll take a look at the [Grade 1, $400,000] Woody Stephens for him as well as the [$150,000] Easy Goer as possible targets next."

Lastly, Baffert reported 5-year-old multiple graded stakes winning mare Marley's Freedom, who last out finished second in the Grade 1 Distaff at Churchill Downs on May 4 would also be under possible consideration for the Grade 3, $250,000 Bed o' Roses Invitational on Friday, June 7.

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Plus Que Parfait to pass on G1 Belmont

Trainer Brendan Walsh said that he is still weighing options for Plus Que Parfait, who has yet to breeze since his eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

"I had to back off of him a little bit. We're looking for another spot for him but nothing is decided yet," said Walsh.

The son of Point of Entry, who won the Grade 2 United Arab Emirates Derby at Meydan Racecourse in his start prior to the Run for the Roses, broke his maiden at third asking over the main track at Keeneland where he defeated eventual graded stakes winners Harvey Wallbanger and Cutting Humor.

Bred in Kentucky by Calloway Stables, Plus Que Parfait is the second foal out of the Awesome Again broodmare Belvedera. He was purchased for $135,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

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Cross Country Pick 5 pays $17K

Sunday's Cross Country Pick 5 featuring stakes races from Belmont, Woodbine and Monmouth Park handled $41,036 returning $17,437.50 for $0.50 wager.

The sequence kicked off with the $75,000 Get Serious from Monmouth Park, won by Wet Your Whistle who returned $15.60 at odds of 6-1.

The action then shifted to Belmont Park for a first-level allowance event where post-time favorite Bingwa ($3.20) bested a field of seven. Leg three of the sequence took place up north from Woodbine for a 1 1/16-mile allowance event for fillies and mares over the Tapeta where 4-5 mutuel favorite Niigon's Bay rallied late to win by a half-length at the wire.

The penultimate leg saw the action shift back to Monmouth Park where 37-1 longshot Ironwood upset a maiden race before the sequence closed out with the final leg at Belmont Park where Middle Out took the final race of the day at odds of 7-1 returning $16.20.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents and features a 15 percent takeout. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on track, on ADW platforms, and at simulcast facilities across the country. There will be a mandatory payout of the entire pool.

For more information on the Cross Country Pick 5, please visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/cross-country-wagers.